Reactivated seminal technical metal pioneers ATHEIST have announced the addition of guitarist Jason Holloway to the group’s ranks following the departure of Jonathan Thompson, who took a job in the medical field. Both Holloway, 27, and new ATHEIST bass player Travis Morgan, 20, have taken part in the American, and European tour dates thus far on the band’s “Jupiter” world tour and “have brought a lot of new energy to ATHEIST,” according to frontman Kelly Shaefer.
Quality video footage of ATHEIST’s performance at this year’s edition of the Neurotic Deathfest, which was held April 29-30, 2011 at 013 and MIDI theatre in Tilburg, Holland, can be viewed below (courtesy of “letthedeathmetalflow”).
ATHEIST is touring in support of its critically acclaimed new album, “Jupiter”, the band’s first studio CD in 17 years. The first show took place on February 12 at the Cabana Inn in Sarasota, Florida, on the 20th anniversary — to the day — of the loss of the band’s original bass player Roger Patterson. The concert marked the group’s debut appearance with new bass player Travis Morgan.
Shaefer said of Patterson, who was killed in a van accident during he band’s first American tour in 1991, “We thought this would be a fitting start to our upcoming tour of the world where it all started for ATHEIST in Sarasota, to honor our friend, and to also debut for the first time songs from our new album, ‘Jupiter’.”
“Jupiter”, the long-awaited fourth album from ATHEIST, sold around 500 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 88 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
“Jupiter” was released on November 9, 2010 (one day earlier internationally) via Season Of Mist. The CD was recorded at LedBelly studios in Atlanta, Georgia with engineer Matt Washburn and was mixed by Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER). The cover artwork (see below) was created by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with TESTAMENT, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.
The bass tracks on the effort were laid down by Jonathan Thompson, who also plays bass for drummer Steve Flynn’s other group, GNOSTIC.
Source: www.blabbermouth.net